Dreamt I Found You
A Novel
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- Pre-Order
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- Expected Apr 28, 2026
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- $19.99
Publisher Description
From the critically acclaimed author of The Apology comes a contemporary retelling of Korea’s Romeo & Juliet, as the cousin of the star-crossed lovers helps them avoid a tragic fate.
When Dahee Shin was nine years old, she made a promise to protect her favorite cousin, Channing, who has always been like a sister to her. Now, at thirty, Dahee has found herself in a Korean American community in a New England beach town, once more running to the rescue of her debt-ridden relative. Ever the idealist, Channing—who has spent her life haunted by the tragic story of Chunhyang and Mongryong, Korea’s parallel Romeo & Juliet—has fallen in love with Minjae Oh, all the while fending off the advances of powerful, manipulative Kent Cho, a local politician. As Channing and Minjae’s romance blossoms, and as Kent's suspicion and obsession grow, Dahee begins to realize that it may be up to her to make sure her cousin and beloved escape Chunhyang and Mongryong’s doomed end.
For fans of Hello Beautiful, Dreamt I Found You is a wondrous, tender retelling of Korea's most classic love story, steeped in the travails of a rigid class system, the power of premonition, and shot through with Korean folklore and magic.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this inspired outing from Han (The Apology), a Korean American woman views her troubled love life through the lens of a classic Korean story of star-crossed lovers. Channing and her cousin Dahee heard the "The Tale of Chunhyang" when they were nine from their grandfather, Harabeoji. Both were captivated by the story, especially Channing, who fantasized about finding a love like Chunhyang, the daughter of a courtesan, did with nobleman Mongryong. At 30, Dahee is a New York City second-grade teacher, while Channing, who quit school in 11th grade, has recently found work as a nanny to two young children in her hometown of East End, Mass. Kent Cho, who works for the mayor of East End, has become obsessed with Channing, but she's in love with a young man named Minjae. Dahee and Harabeoji come to visit, and the cousins binge-watch a TV adaptation of the folktale. The novel gets a bit far-fetched when Kent accuses Channing of stealing his expensive watch and has her jailed, but Han keeps readers in suspense, wondering whether Dahee will be able to help Channing or Minjae will stand up and rescue her like Mongryong saves Chunhyang. It's an engrossing story of the power of family and true love.
